⇢ ˗ˏˋ ❦ ࿐ྂ
"-not alone." desiree heard someone sing as she walked into the cabin.
"oh...sorry. i didn't think anyone would be here. did you want me to-"
"no it's okay, you're fine, no." kourt said rubbing her hands on her pants.
"what was that song?" desiree asked as she went over to her bunk.
"it's kind of like a prayer i sing...when i can't breathe."
"you can't breathe but you can sing?" desiree said as a joke. "music is magic."
kourtney's voice wavered, and desiree started to walk towards her.
"kourtney, is there something going on?" desiree asked as she sat.
"okay i'm worried about tomorrow. i completely dropped ej's line prompt tonight. what if i choke-"
"kourt."
"look, it-it happened at the climbing wall and it's happened 1000 times before, so i was actually thinking about asking you if you would-"
"absolutely not."
"you know all of elsa's lines, and hey you're the set main character, everyone talks about you."
"hey kourt. i know you don't know me or anything, but do you maybe have anxiety, cause i have it and-"
"you have anxiety. desiree, there's no way you have anxiety." kourt said.
"i do, it's always a shock to everyone." desiree nodded.
"to answer your question, yes i do. and i just feel like it's hard for me to do this with it. and you do lead roles all the time, how do you do that." kourt said.
"i don't know. maybe i just love acting and performing for people so much that i kinda forget about it, like it balances it out?"
"desiree are you just saying you have anxiety to make me feel better? cause you're always talking to us as a group, a leader, confronting us, you're just so good at everything."
"no kourt i really do. it's known that once you find something you really can enjoy your anxiety can calm down for some time. and i've been going to the camp for a while, it's like when i get here i'm just okay."
"and i know you will be okay. i barely know you but, you're talented as ever kourt. it shocked me to know this is your first lead role, you deserve to be on broadway one day." desiree said grabbing kourt's hands.
suddenly maddox and ashlyn came in, "sorry i thought this was gonna be empty." maddox said.
"we can leave." desiree said. "no,no it's okay. uh actually i just said goodbye to somebody that i wasn't expecting to even say hello to tonight so i'm a little upside down." maddox said.
"she was glowing, so we're you." ashlyn said smiling.
"don't mind us, just talking about deep fears over here." desiree said
"is this about the climbing wall?" maddox asked. "and all it stands for? yes." kourt said.
"and maddox, if you don't mind does desiree actually have you know.."
"have what?"
"kourt you can say it to her." desiree said. "does she actually have anxiety?"
"yup, she might seem fierce but she does. when she first got here i think she was more timid than all of the newbies combined. the longer she was here the more open and daring she got, hence the harnessless climbing." maddox said.
desiree laughed, "i really wanted yellow to win." she said. "hey!" ashlyn said and desiree shrugged as she laughed again.
"back to the climbing well. didn't your teacher say you would do it when you were ready? right?" maddox said.
"i think..i think i'm just going to go to bed and pretend like tomorrow night isn't opening night." kourt said.
gina then came in, "hey guys. i was just on the swings." she said.
"i forgot about swings." she said walking towards everyone else.
"hey. are you okay?" maddox asked. "i think i just broke up with ej."
everyone's jaws dropped, "let's talk about it later." gina said walking away.
"i guess tonight did end with a bang..." ashlyn whispered.
"well as long as it ends soon." kourt started. "i mean who knows, maybe i can wake up as someone else." kourt said.
everyone started to do their one thing, and then desiree turned to kourt. "hey kourt, can i borrow your prayer" she asked.
kourtney nodded, and desiree started to sing what she heard.
"you're not alone..." she sang. "you're not alone." gina and ashlyn joined in standing around kourt.
ashlyn turned to maddox, and gestured for her to join. "you're not alone." the four girls all sang to their friend.
suddenly kourt got up, and they continued to sing to her as she was wiped her tears.
kourt left the cabin, and they all followed her having no idea where she was going.
"give me the harness." she said when they reached the climbing wall, and maddox went to go and get one.
maddox came back with a harness, as well as a helmet and kourt put them on.
maddox then strapped her in, then kourt turned to the wall as she looked up at it.
maddox, desiree, gina, and ashlyn all looked up at kourtney as she climbed up the wall, at her own pace.
she was facing her fears, her anxiety and it was perfect for her.
she eventually reached the top and they all cheered. "yeah kourt!" desiree screamed.
desiree and maddox turned to each other smiling, "hey gadget, nitro. you know you're one of us now, right? you're not alone." ashlyn said.
she wrapped her arm around the both of them, as she looked up at kourtney together.
-
maddox and desiree were sitting on a ledge as they saw ej walk over.
"hey rocket man, just the guy i was looking for." maddox said as the two stood up.
"hey, hey are you okay?" desiree said as she looked at ej.
"yeah absolutely. did you have fun with madison? and you with jet des?" ej asked.
desiree nodded, and maddox started to talk, "yeah that. that's a little complicated. like, i thought it was over, but then she she said maybe she still likes me." maddox said.
"and to please call her when i get home." maddox said smiling.
"i guess that means none of the new girls caught your eye this summer?" ej smirked.
"what up hippies!!" ashlyn yelled as she walked by, and desiree waved.
"i think one did." desiree whispered to ej as maddox smiled at ashlyn.
"sorry what?"
"you were looking for me." ej said changing the topic.
"right, have you heard from val?" desiree said. "no why?" ej asked.
"she texted me that she got a tip that channing is gonna to full reality show tomorrow." desiree said.
"like he's gonna try to stir up trouble, and it could mean that opening night will be a train wreck." maddox said.
jet then ran up behind desiree hugging her, "oh my gosh! you're all wet!" she said as she turned around.
"i had to kiss you goodnight, and walk you to your cabin." jet said as she leaned in a kissed desiree.
"you're so cute." she muttered as she kissed him.
ej still hasn't responded to what he heard, "so what are we gonna do?" he then said.
"buckle up?" maddox said as she walked away. "what are you guys talking about?" jet asked.
"nothing..you wanted to walk me to my cabin?" desiree said.
"yeah, let's go." jet said waving bye to ej and putting his arm around desiree and they both walked away talking.